Alkoxides of aluminum generally have good solubility in organic solvents. Unfortunately, organic solvent solubility is not a general property of all alkoxides. Alkoxides of polyvalent metals of Groups IIA and IIIA of the Periodic Table, particularly calcium, and magnesium generally have little or no solubility in organic solvents. This relative insolubility is disadvantageous for processes where it is desirable to intimately mix metal containing materials in a mobile liquid phase to achieve a high level of uniformity. Older processes employed physical methods to achieve uniform composition and intimate admixture. For example, synthetic minerals based on oxides of aluminum and magnesium useful as catalyst supports and adsorbents were formed by mixing, sintering, and grinding solid magnesium and aluminum oxides through several process cycles.
U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,903,122 and 3,946,102 describe mixed metal alkoxides having a molar metal proportion of two-thirds aluminum and one-third calcium or magnesium of the general formula: EQU MAl.sub.2 (O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --O--R).sub.8
These mixed metal alkoxides are described as soluble in solvents such as benzene.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,666 describes alkoxy alcohols used as catalysts in the reaction of alkaline-earth metals with unsubstituted alcohols.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,627 mentions (in an apparently prophetic Example, No. 13) the formation of alkali-metal mercaptides from alcohols containing 2-methoxypropyl or 2-butoxypropyl organic groups.
It is desirable to provide organic solvent soluble alkoxides of polyvalent metals which heretofore have been available only as organic solvent insoluble products.